While O2 held a vice-like grip on the iPhone for the better part of this year and last, reports suggest the handset itself isn't a massive money winner for carriers. But it has been an irresistible magnet for bringing new customers under those carriers' contracts, which is one of the primary reasons networks want the iPhone in their catalogues.
T-Mobile imported a handful of Apple handsets during the summer, using them to retain customers intent on leaving for O2 simply because they wanted an iPhone. Now T-Mobile (in partnership with Orange) and Vodafone are to become official suppliers, Mobile-Ent.biz has done some digging and discovered that network carrier 3 is apparently adopting a similar tactic.
Although the report suggests that 3 isn't actually interested in becoming an official carrier, and few 'under the counter' iPhone's have apparently been adapted to the network to be used for customer retention.
It's an interesting concept, and should other carriers or even retailers see this as a back door method of meeting iPhone-addled customer requirements, Apple's device could be set to explode into even more outlets than expected after the end of O2's iPhone exclusivity.
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